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MORE ABOUT CINEVERSE

CineVerse is a weekly film discussion group that explores the universe of cinema. We meet every Wednesday from 7-10 p.m. in Oak Lawn, Ill. at Oak View Center (4625 W. 110th St., click here for directions) in the theater or the room announced on building signage. At every meeting, we discuss a different movie, chosen by our members on a rotating basis. CineVerse is open to anyone 17 years and older. To join our group or for more info, e-mail Erik the founder/moderator at cineversegroup@gmail.com

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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Few films offer as sincere and fascinating a view of childhood than Francois Truffaut's Small Change, which CineVerse featured yesterday. Highlights of our group discussion are as follows.

WHAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT “SMALL CHANGE”? HOW DID IT
DIFFER FROM YOUR PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS?

·It’s an episodic film that doesn’t follow
conventional narrative storytelling structure; it weaves together a series of
vignettes featuring child characters who are loosely connected in that many attend
the same school or are possibly from the same neighborhood/community.

·Its tone is predominantly light, nostalgic and
fun, although it can be dark (the subplot involving the abused child),
suspenseful (the child endangered by the open window), and bittersweet (the
student whose crush on his teacher is ignored).

·It also has a surprising and refreshing
frankness in its tone, and a feeling of unscripted, real-life honesty in the
performances and shots, which often bear the look of documentary filmmaking.

·It has distinctive European/French sensibilities
to it that can appear fresh, novel and insightful to American audiences who are
used to films that pander and condescend in their approach to children.

·The acting by the children is quite admirable
and natural, as if they weren’t acting at all: Truffaut primarily cast non-professionals
and everyday children for extra spontaneity and credibility, and he encouraged
improvisation and deviation from the script.

WHAT PROMINENT THEMES ARE SUGGESTED IN “SMALL CHANGE”?

·The resiliency and inventiveness of children,
who learn to adapt to their environments.

·The crucial importance of the formative childhood
years in shaping our adult personalities.

·Adults need to recognize how vulnerable and
impressionable children are and work to safeguard each child’s fundamental
right to be nurtured, fed, sheltered, protected from abuse and neglect, get an
education, and form social interactions.

·Children are often excluded from the world of
adults; this idea is exemplified in the predominant use of windows, doors and
other enclosures, which serve as physical and symbolic barriers between kids
and grown-ups in the movie.

WHAT ARE SOME HALLMARKS OF TRUFFAUT’S STYLE AS A
FILMMAKER?

·Many of his pictures share an insightful
sympathy with children and feature child characters/actors as the main
protagonists.

·Several of his movies depict “coming of age”
themes and situations that involve a child’s loss of innocence,
disillusionment, precociousness, and resourcefulness.

·He also enjoys depicting “a film within a film”;
in Small Change, this occurs when the townspeople attend the local cinema and
view a short concerning a popular mime.

·Additionally, many of the characters and
situations portrayed in his films are drawn from real life incidents and
personal experiences.

·Many of his movies have been described as
lyrical, nostalgic, sentimental, romantic, and inventive in the way he brings fluidity
to his camera movement and in the way he uses freeze frames and innovative
editing techniques a hallmark of the French New Wave, of which he was the
poster child director.

OTHER FILMS DIRECTED BY TRUFFAUT

·The autobiographical Antoine Doinel series of 4
films: The 400 Blows, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run.